Puffing Problems
Duke is the oldest engine on the Narrow Gauge Railway. The others call him Granpuff. He works hard, no matter how bad he's feeling. However, just the other day, Duke was not feeling well at all. Mr. Percival had told him to take passengers to the picnic spot by the lake and his fire would not start. "Come On Duke! Start up!" fussed his Fireman. Duke could not start in time, so Rusty had to take him to his coaches. The fire finally started and Duke creaked and groaned all the way to the Main Station. Emily was there dropping off Duke's passengers. "Oh Dear, you don't look well at all!" she cried. "I'll (*Cough* *Cough*) manage." wheezed Duke. Duke puff and huffed as hard as he could down the line. All the other engines were worried. "Come On Granpuff!" called Peter Sam. "Don't Give Up!" replied Freddie. As he puffed, Duke's crew had a talk. "Do you think that maybe it's time?" asked the Driver. "For what?" wondered the Fireman. "Time for Duke to...retire." Duke heard what they said. "Maybe they're right." he said. "I've finally gotten too old. I'm not the tough Bulldog I used to be." The picnic area was on the other side of a steep hill. "Oh Glory! I forgot about this hill" spluttered Duke. He huffed, puffed, coughed, wheezed, and shuddered. "Come on Ol' Boy!" encouraged his Driver. "I CAN do it. I WILL do it!" huffed The Old Engine.' '''Suddenly, a cloud of steam flew around Duke and he stopped. Then he started rolling down the hill and came to a standstill at the bottom. "What happened?" he asked. "You've burst your safety valve and popped your pistons." said his Driver. Sir Handel came up the opposite line with Slate Trucks. "Oh My Granpuff! What happened?" "Nothing Falcon, just a burst safety valve, popped pistons and increasing pain in my boiler." "I told you, my name is Sir Handel now!" He knew Duke was only joking. Sir Handel then took Duke's passengers to the picnic spot and Mighty Mac took Sir Handel's Slate Trucks so he could take Duke back to the yard. Mr. Percival had called Sir Topham Hatt and Victor soon arrived to check him over. "Well, we can easily fix what's broken. But you also said you have increasing pain in your boiler?" "That's Right. I haven't gotten up to steam properly lately." "When was the last time you had your boiler cleaned?" laughed Victor. "2 months ago. Why do you ask?" "Because your boiler is filled up with muck and it's causing you to feel worn out." "So, I'm not too old!" chuckled Duke. Duke's parts were fixed and his boiler is now cleaned every month. He is still old but he will never give up! "Duke, I want to to take a heavy goods train from the mountains down to the Wharf." said Mr. Percival the next day. "Think you can do it?" "No train is too heavy for me!" said Duke happily. All the engines whistle for him when he passes because they know, your never to old to be Really Useful! Characters *Duke *Peter Sam *Sir Handel *Freddie *Victor *Emily *Mr. Percival *Sir Topham Hatt ''(Mentioned) *Mighty Mac (Does not Speak) *Rusty (Does not Speak) *Skarloey (Cameo)